hybrid polymer manufacturing

combined additive and subtractive manufacturing

jan 2026 ~ apr 2026



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i helped maintain the hybrid polymer machine in the manufacturing innovation lab, built by a former member of the lab. i replaced faulty components, troubleshooted printing and machining issues, and tested various manufacturing parameters to find optimal values for pla (polylactic acid) parts.


i ran calibration tests with calipers to ensure equal tool engagement on all sides and measured surface roughness (ra) with a profilometer.


i also wrote a python script to parse slicer generated gcode and automate the gcode manipulation required for the machine, reducing processing time down from a few minutes to a few seconds.


automation script (github)